Converter and heat exchange circuits therefor



April 2, 19,40. U 2,195,414

CONVERTER AND HEATEXCHANGE GIRCUIITS THEREFOR Filed Aug. 6, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR Eugeued Huudrg ATTORNEY E. J. HOUDRY GONVERTER AND HEAT EXCHANGBYCIRCUITS THEREFOR April 2; 1940.

Filed Au 6, i937 2 sneets sneet 2 II VIII/ll!!! A d 1 m u V. D N N H R m E m 5 j Y EB l. 2 2 w N m u w M. N? N m a u V t Patented Apr." 2, 1940 UNITED STATES- PATENT 4 OFFICE aisasis common Am user nxormuun c ncurrs Tnnnaroa Eugene J. Houdry, 'Haveriord, Pa, assigncr 10 Houdry Process Corporation, Wilmington, met,- a corporation oi Delaware Application August 6,1937, Serial No. romeo 7 Claims. (Cl. 23-288) 5 trol by means of heat exchange fluid of the tem-.

perature of a reaction zone within a converter in which such reactions are eflected. especially when the reaction zone contains a contact mass which promotes, enters into, or in any way as- 10 sists the reactions. It is concerned with the design of the converter and with circuits and apparatus for conducting one crmore streams ofheat exchange fluid at controlled temperature through conduits within the reaction zone.

'15 One object of the invention is to provide apparatus of the type described, which is adapted to provide quickand easy access to the heat exchange conduits for purposes of inspection, cleaning or repairs. Another object is to facilitate removal of heat exchange conduits from the converter. Another object is to eliminate the possibility of heat exchange fluid leaking,

into the reaction zone to damagethe converter structure or otherwise interfere with its opera- .tion. Another object is to minimize the number of conduit joints in the entire heat exchange circuit. Another object is to provide for heat transfer between the temperature control fluid and the contact mass by conduction, by radiation, or

1 by both, in any desired proportion. l Another object is to avoid stagnation of fluid reactants and/or reaction products within the reaction zone. Other objects will be apparentfrom the detailed description that follows.

" Concrete embodiments of the invention are disclosed in the accompanying drawings, in which: i

Figure 1 illustrates one form o'fthe invention, showing in sectional elevation a converter conic taining heat exchange conduits as partoi' a circuit for heat exchange fluid, the circuit being shown partly diagrammatically and partly in sectional elevation.

Flgure 2 is an arrangement similar to but. generally the reverse of Figure 1, illustrating a modified heat exchange circuit and a somewhat diii'erent form of heat emhange conduits.

. Figures 3 and 4 are partial vertical sectional v views generally similar to Figure 1 but illustrating different types of converters and modified forms 01' the heat exchange circuit. Figure 5 is a fragmentary sectional plan view on an enlarged scale of a portion of the. converter 3 shown in Figure 3 and taken substantially along line M m the latter mussels; a slightly modified conduit arrangement; and

trally located reaction chamber or zone 8 con- 10 taining a contact mass M of any desired type and end manifolding chambers 9 and it by periorated ,partitions'or arid members ll and, ii; Fluid reactants may enter orient the maniiolding chambers, such as 80, as by line it, and from such manifolding chamber be admitted to reaction zone 3 to be converted therein into reaction products, which may be discharged into manifolding chamber 9, thence to pass iron: the converter by connection It. 2

A bath or body of low vapor pressure heat exchange fluid l6 such as molten lead, a molten alloy, a fused'salt or mixture of salts, or any suitable substance which exists in liquid phase at the temperature conditions prevailing with in the heat exchange system is maintained in an open tank or receptacle ll adjacent and below converterl. Such heat exchange fluid is continuously circulated at controlled temperature in a multiplicity of substantially parallel streams through' reverse flow conduits, such as conduit assemblies C, extending from receptacle l1 through a wall of converter I, as through head. 59

head l9 by Joints accessible from the outside of 40 the /converter structure, as through sleeves or nipples. l8 by welded joints, as indicated, are insertable into and removable from converter 1 from the outside of the latter. Conduit assemblies C are preferably of the nested type comprising inner inlet members 15a extending freely and loosely into outer outlet members i522, which latter have free and open ends in receptacle l1 preferably below the level (indicated at.

i L) of heat exchange liquid l8, while inner memb0 bers lia may extend beyond the lower ends of conduits llb to be suitably arrangedi'or receiving' streamsof liquid it at controlled temperature. As shown, receptacle "may bedivided into upper and lower compartments by partition as indicated at 25,. but in some instances they .may rest freely on partition "with any desired type of stop member beinsused to engage the partition and to limit the projection of the conduits'into the lower compartment of receptacle l1. into the upper compartment of receptacle ll may be continuously removed therefrom through line 2| having an inlet substantially at or somewhat below liquid level L and forced by pump 22 through a suitable heat exchange unit, indicated at 23, thence through line 2 into the lower compartment of receptacle ll and through reverse flow conduit assemblies C to be returned to the upper of the aforesaid compartments.

Quick and easy access to the interior of conduits l5b for purposes of inspection, cleaning or repairs may be gained without it being necessary to open the converter structure. To this end, after stopping circulation of heat exchange fluid l6, teceptacle l1 and conduit assemblies C are first drained of liquid It, as by valved lines 26 and ..21; then the flanges indicated in lines 2| and 24 are disconnected and receptacle l1 and con- "duit members l5a supported thereby are lowered as a unit until conduits li clear the lower ends of outlet conduits l5b. Conduits I5a may then be removed from partition 2|],- and/or receptacle I'I may be lowered further and/or 'moved to one side, as desired, to provide the working space re-' quired or desired for the operation contemplated on conduits l5b. When it becomes necessary or desirable to remove one or more of the conduits lib for replacement or for repairs which cannot be made by the insertion of a tool thereinto, they can easily and quickly be removed without eflecting any other disassembly of the converter structure, the only steps required being disconnection of the aforementioned'fluid tight doint between :eachconduit and the wall of the converter and the actual withdrawal of the conduit from the converter. Of course, reinsertion of conduits lib is effected as easily and expeditiously as their removal by reversingthis procedure.

Leakage of heat exchange fluid into the converter proper results, in many instances, in the contamination of reactants, reaction products and/or of the contact mass within the reaction zone, and, in some cases, provides a serious flre or explosion hazard and/or a source of injury to.

equipment auxiliary to the converter. For example, when treating or converting organic fluids,

such as hydrocarbons, particularly at high temperatures, leakage of a fused eutectic mixture of sodium nitrate. and sodium nitrite will, in

; many instances, produce a' flre or explosion.

v 1 reaction products, stoppage of auxiliary cooling equipment for such products may result. With the'above described converter and heat exchange circuit it becomes possible and feasible to eliminatethe above hazards, for detachable joints in the portions 'of the heat exchange circuitv located within the converter may be entirely Heat exchange liquid l0 discharged g 3,195,414 20 provided with suitably located perforations,

avoided simply by providing conduits llb having closed ends E and walls which are of a single or integral part, as by forming each conduit llb and closed end E from a single piece or billet of metal or by welding a suitable cap to a fabricated conduit. f

'Ihe fact that the conduits "a and lib have free and open ends in receptacle. I'I provides another advantage of the invention that reflects economies both in the erection and operation of the converter. With the type of structure shown, conduit manifolding systems which would serve the reverse flow conduits are eliminated. Such conduit manifolds would not only require considerable expense and care in design, fabrication and installation but they would also contain a large number of Joints and bends; each of the Joints, particularly those in a conduitmanlfolding system connecting 'outlet conduits I 8b, would be a potentiallocus for leakage 'of heat exchange fluid, especially when'consideration is taken of the stresses which would normally occur in the conduit manifold with movement of converter parts caused by changes iniemperature; each bend would cause a substantial loss in pressure of fluid passing therethrough, thereby increasing the pressure necessary for forcing the heat exchange fluid through the system and augmenting the cost of circulation.

In the embodiment ofthe invention disclosed in Figure 2, receptacle Ila for the heat exchange medium is located adjacent and above the upper head. "a of converter Ia andis provided with a perforated bottom 28 through the perforations in which reverse flow conduit assemblies C extend downwardly into the converterto have free andclosed ends E slidably received by perforations in lower partition l2a. Outer and outlet conduit members lib have open ends within receptacle 11a and are attached in fluid tight manner both to the bottom 2| of the as through sleeves or nipples 20 and to converter head Ila. as for example, through insulating sleeves 20. Heat exchange fluid II, after-being discharged'from conduits llbinto receptacle "a, is, after the manner described in connection with Fig. I, forced by pump 22a through the circuit comprising line '2la, heat exchanger 22a and line 24a, but, after leaving the latter and before entering inlet conduits "a the heat exextend freely and loosely into outlet conduits libk This modification of the invention possesses the advantage that when it is. desired to gain access to the interiors of conduits llb' it is not necessary to move receptacle "a but only to disconnect the flanges shown in one or more of the manifold branches 22 and remove each of said branches and their depending conduits asa unit; of course, receptacle Ila needs to be I drained, as through valved line 21a, and fluid l8 remaining in conduits l'b'f displaced or pumped therefrom. When it is desired to remove conduits lib', however, it is necessary to disconnect the joints between the same and nipples before lifting receptacle Ila out of the way. V. I

Sleeves 2|, shown substantially concentric with conduits "b and through which-the latter are attached to converter head Ila, extend across manifolding'chamber 9a to be slidably received arcane .by perforations of suitable size in partition Ha, beyond which they are Joined'in fluid tight manner to conduits lib. They separate the reverse flow/heat ,exchange conduit assemblies C from -manifolding chamber to and restrict the sphere ,ersing manifolding chamber 90. If desired, the

annular space between conduits lib and sleeves 30 may be fllled with insulating material to further decrease such heat exchange.

Outer members Nb of reverse flow conduit assemblies ('2 are shown with fins 43 attached thereto for providing, in known manner, heat conductive paths extending through substantially all parts of contact mass M. Such flns are of particular importance when Mass M is of such character that it cannot readily conduct heat. When the use of such extended surfaces directly attached to conduit assemblies C is de-' sired it is usually necessary to efiectsome disassembly oi the converter proper when withdrawing the outer conduits I51) from the same, as for example, removal of converter head l9a and partition Ha after disconnecting sleeves 30 from the former.

In the modified converter lb illustrated by Fig. 3, reverse flow conduits C are receivedJby and are separated from contact mass M by outerencasing or enclosing members 34 mounted in partition i212 and extending across reaction chamber 8b to have open ends slidably received by perforations 35' in partition ilb. As shown, each 01' the members 34 may be perforated at intervals and may have an end opening into one of the end manifolding chambers, such as chamber 9b, to have the other end substantially sealed against fluid communication with the other of said mamfolding chambers, as'by the use in said other end of a suitable sealing device as perforated cap 36 which provides a sliding and substantially fluid tight joint between members 34 and conduit.

assemblies C Thus, each of the members 34 may serve as conduits for effecting admission or distribution of reactants through or removal of reaction products from contact mass M at a plurality or multiplicity or points therein after the manner described in United States Patent No.

1,987,904 issued to me on January 15, 1935. Also,

a second and complementary series of perforated conduits establishing fluid communication be tween the other of said manifolding chambers and interior portions of reaction chamber In, such as perforated conduits 3i interposedbetween conduit members 3d and mounted inpartition lib with an end opening into manifolding chamber we, may be provided for venting reaction productsfrom or admitting reactants through mass M at a plurality or multiplicity of points as indicated, for example, in United States Patent No. 2,042,468, issued to me on June 2, 1936.

When complementary inlet and outlet members, such as conduits 34- and 31 or their equivalent, are "used, the resulting angular movement of fluid through reaction chamber 8b may produce, in some instances, stagnant or relatively stagnant pockets or zones therein, the number, location and extent of such zones depending upon thenumber and spacing of the inlet and outlet members and arrangement of perforations in these members. The number and effect of .such stagnant zones may be minimized or evenv eliminated by providing straight through, as well as angular flow, through at least a portion of chic embodiment shown in Fig. 3

Figs. and '6 having-been omitted of simplicity and clarity.

'3 reaction chamber lb.- To effect ,this; any desired part, but usually less than the predominant proportion, of the fluid reactants, may be admitted directly to reaction zone to without passing through distribution conduits, and/or any desired-portion of the reaction products may simand/or i2b'in addition to those required for -receiving, the conduit members. In the spestraight through flow is gained by admitting the desired portion of reactants through partition l2b aroundthe bases or mountings of encasing members 3d and by providing'perforations 35 in partition lib substantially larger'than the upper ends of members 34 thereby to permit the desired amount of reaction products to flow directly into manifolding chamber 9b through the in-' tervening spaces.

The method indicated in Fig. 3 of providing flow of fluid around the ends of conduits 34 is illustrated in detail in Figs. 5' and ,6, in which perforated inlet or outlet conduit 34b has an open end received in and is supported by slotted or splined insert 39 screwed-or otherwise fastened in partition or tube sheet l2b. ,The' inner surfaces of projections 38 in inserts 39 are shown provided with screw, threads which engage the threaded end of conduit 34?), thus providing for passage of fluid through slots or recesses in addition-to through conduit 34b. It' is, of course,

7 to be understood that conduit 34b may have a reverse flow heat exchange conduit extending therewithin, the showing of such a conduit in for the sake In the modified circuit for heat exchangefiuid l6 illustrated inFig. '3 the means for adjusting the temperature. of that fluid prior to forcing the same through reversefiow conduit assemblies C are located within receptacle Nb, and may be, for example, a system of conduits 4i through which a suitableheating or cooling medium is circulated. As shown, the heat exchange means may be located within the lower. of a pair of compartments provided by partition 2%" containing perforations through which inlet conduit- |5a extend in a freely slidable manner and. other perforations for establishing fluid communication between said upper and lower compartments.

Partition 10b serves as a baffle providing quiet and uniformly distributed flow of liquid I 6 into the lower from the upper of said compartments after being discharged into the latter from conduits I51). Heat exchange fluid Id, at the ad- .justed temperature, is continuously withdrawn fromvthe lowerv compartment and forced by pump 221) through the circuit comprising lines 2Ib, 24b

and. conduit manifold 32b and thence into inlet members 05o Heat transfer between reverse flow, conduit assemblies C and members 34 is effected substantially completely by radiation in the specific arrangement disclosed in'Fig. 3, since the conduit assemblies and tho encas'ing members are in spaced relation with each other for substantially their entire mutual extent. Such heat transfer maybe at least partially by conduction, as desired, or, as required by the rate of heat transfer to or from contact, mass M when due consideration is taken of the rate of circulation and tem-.

perature of heat exchange fluid it which pro vides the most favorable cost of operating the converter while effecting any'particular reaction or sequence of reactions therein. In general, the closer the 'most suitable temperature of heat exchange fluid IE to thetemperature maintained within contact mass M the larger should be the proportion of heat transfer by conduction. One method of effecting any'desired amount of heat. transfer between heat exchange fluid l8 and contact mass M by direct conduction is illustrated in Fig. 4, in which reverse flow conduit assemblies C? and outer members 34a are a connected by any desired number of metallic heat conductive linkages, indicated at l2. Such linkages may be projections of suitable size and shape extending, from outlet conduits lib tov It is to be noted that when flns are provided on outer casings such as members 34 or 34a of Figs.

3 or 4, it is not necessary to gain entrance to the converter structure for removal of the reverse flow heat exchange conduits.

It is to be understood that extended surfaces or fins of any desired type may be used with any type of outer enclosing members, such as con. duits 34 or 34a, as illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4, respectively, whether such outer enclosing members be perforated or imperforate or whether heat transfer between the contact mass and the heat exchange fluid be by radiation, by conduction or both.

Other modified forms of the invention possess ing the advantages of economy, simplicity and safety of the specific embodiments disclosed and described herein willbe apparent" to those skilled in the art. For example, the reverse flow. heat exchange conduitsmay extend through any wall oflthe converter and into a reaction zone there- ,in, whether the heat exchange conduits are perpendicular, oblique or substantially parallel to the direction of flow of reactants and reaction products through the reaction zone, or whether or not such conduits traverse a manifolding or other chamber after passing through the shell of the converter and before entering the reaction chamber. In the event the heat exchange conduits extend through a side wall of the con-' verter, they may enter a receptacle for the. heat exchange fluid located beside the converter through a side wall of the receptacle. When reactant fluids are distributed through the reaction zone at a multiplicity of points and/or fluid reaction products removed from amultiplicity of points within the reaction zone, reverse flow heat exchange conduits adapted to effect heat transfer by conduction, by radiation or by both, may extend into the reaction zone to be entirely separate from the fluid distributing and/or outlet members.

The invention in its broad and narrow aspects has a wide range of utility in the flelds of physical and chemical treatment of organic or inorganic fluids. Typical processes in which the in vention is a valuable aid include: transformation or refining or high or low boiling hydrocarbons to produce motor fuels, lubricating oils or other valuable products involving, if desired, the

alternate use of a contact mass in production of the desired and material and in'regeneration in place to remove combustible deposits therefrom: hydrogenation of carbon monoxide of hydrocarbons and/or their derivatives; the purification of gases by'contact masses having selective adsorptive properties and/or the ability to'remove impurities by chemical action; selective oxidation of hydrocarbons and/or their. derivatives to produce organic acids or related compounds;

synthesis of ammonia; the catalytic combustion of partially burned flue gases and the like; and oxidation of sulphur dioxide to produce sulphuric acid anhydride.

I claim as my invention:

1. In combination with, a converter providing a reaction chamber forlcontaining a contact mass, means for supplying liquid in heat exchange relation with said reaction chamber comprising an open removable receptacle outside said converter and containing a body of heat exchange liquid, a series of inner and outerre verse flow conduits disposed within the reaction chamber, said outer conduits having a closed end within the converter andan open end extending through a wall of the converter into said receptacle, said inner conduits each having an open end within the outer conduits and the other end connected toa manifold within said receptacle, a perforated baflle extending transversely of said receptacle between the ends of the outer conduits and said manifold for the inner conduits, heat exchange means in said receptacle for controlling the temperature of fluid therein, a conduit connecting said manifold and said receptacle having 7 pumping means therein for passing liquid at controlled temperatures throughsaid reverse flow conduits, said connecting conduit opening into said receptacle so that said perforated battle is interposed between it and theopen ends of said outer conduits. I

2 In a converter for effecting chemical reactions, 9. pair of spaced apertured partitions dividing the converter into a reaction chamber for containing contact material and cooperating fluid manifolds, a set of perforated fluid conduits supported in one partition and extending across said reaction chamber in loosely fitting engagement with the apertures of the other partition providing fluid passage through said other partition, said first-mentioned partition having aper- I tures permitting. fluidpassage therethrough, a second set of perforated conduits in said reaction chamber communicating with one of the manifolds and cooperatingwith said flrst set of 'perforated conduits for passing fluid 'therebetween,

a series of heat exchangeunits extending within" the perforated fluid conduits of one of said sets, said units comprising inner and outer conduits in nested relation tocflect reverse flowof'heat' exchange fluid within each unit, said outer conduits of said units being closed at one end and being secured adjacent their other and open ends to an outer wall of said converter, an open removable receptacle for heat exchange liquid positioned outside said converter having a partition providing upper and lowercompartments, said inner conduits of said units extending through said upper compartment and being secured in apertures in said last-named partition to com-.

municate with said lower compartment while their other ends communicate with the interior of saidouter conduits of said units near the closed ends thereof, the open ends of said outer conduits of said units extending into said upper compartment of said receptacle, and a conduit interconnecting said compartments and having pp means ior circulating the heat change fluid through the mwtedconduits.

3., In e converter vine tlons prov! a. reaction chamber for conta' econtcct mess, e series of encasing members moon in exa apertitlon and exten anti in oer-V alielism across the reaction chember'to be embedded in said contact mess, a series of heat excitenge units extending through o. wail of said members,

converter and within said .w 1. each unit comprising an outer conduit closed at one one end on inner conduit open at both code in nested partly telescoped relation with said outer conduit for reverse fiow movement of heat eminence fluid, said outer conduits being secured.

to said converter wall so as to dispose theirclosed ends within said encssiog members and to hove their other and open ends extending beyond said converter wail, heat conducting elements posed between said outer conduits of said units one said encaslng members, and a removable and open receptacle separate from said converter for containing a. body of heat exchange liquid, 2. v partition extending across said receptacle provld-- ing upper and lower compartments, we partition having apertures through which one end of each of said inner conduits extends to connicete with the lower compartment and said open ends of said outer conduits terting above said partition within the upper. compartment, end means interconnecting said coportmeots for circmoting the heat exchange liquid through the nested conduits.

4. In e converter for efiecti owe reactions, a. pair of tube sheets extending thereacross dividmg theizoterior thereof into a. centrally located reaction chamber for coog e. contact cm:

and end manifolds, two sets of perforated con-1 cults extending longitudinally within said reaction chemmr in uniformly spaced relation, one

set hovingopen ends communicating with one manifold for admitting reactants in cross flow to said reaction chamber, soothe other set having open ends communicating with the other manifold for venting reaction products from the reaction chamber, and each of sa'ltltube sheets he apertures for providing cli rect fluid communication between said reaction chamber and each of said monitoicls, thereby to provide comblood cross and straight through movement of con ' man-Holds whereby said opertureol partitions end fioid wltnio we ARK-W11! other one to or stent sockets.

5,- o, converter tor efiectlm chemical reoctioos, vi t the w teaming contact into so reootim cloomlcer for rial and ere fluid olds tor the reaction enter, a set of goerioroted field conduits suono by one partition and este ocr the reoctioo momma io loosely flitting engagement with the apertures of the other partition but in communicotton with one sale perforated conomts provide combined cross and sght through movement of fluid within the tion ohember to avoid stagnant pockets.

6. lira o'oooverter for eflect chemical reactions, o twee sheet defining one end or a ree/ction .cnemloer thereto, c perfiore'conouit extending into soio chamber toricltstriboting fluid tnerethromh or venting euro therefrom, an insert in dtube sheet sec on end o1 said conduit, semi insert mg exoerterec to provide for direct passage of fluid. into or from' said chamber 7 through sold tosheet 7,. in o @Qfiiiflfilf for efiecting chemical reec= tlons, a melt or steeceoltmbe sheets portitionins' the converter into to reaction chamber and co opera time; manifold r: cell's, perforated conduits commcetins with cold mooifolding choonoers through said mm sheets for mitt reoctontc to the reaction chamber end so: vent inc products of reaction therefrom, coert inserts in one of the tube sheets or securing on one of selfld'oertoreteo conduits and to:- passing Ifioiol directly to one from the reaction chamber, soc oretioos to the other tube sheettor reoelvtng the tree end of said conduits one for Q 1 fluid olirectiy to and from the reaction sooees cfnooonm 

